For neurosurgical interventions, the patient is positioned on a patient support apparatus, in particular an operating table apparatus. Here the patient is positioned on a transfer plate, since a medical imaging examination, for instance a magnetic resonance examination, of the head region of the patient, is frequently implemented during an interruption in the neurosurgical intervention and/after the neurosurgical intervention has concluded. The patient is switched in such cases between the operating table and a further patient support apparatus, which is embodied to be magnetic resonance-compatible for a magnetic resonance examination, by means of the transfer plate. A surgical head restraint unit is attached to the patient, in particular to the head of the patient and/or the head of the patient is positioned within this surgical head restraint unit for the neurosurgical intervention, wherein the surgical head restraint unit is arranged for instance on the transfer plate and protrudes beyond the transfer plate together with the head of the patient.
A maximum permissible area of occupation is available for the surgical head restraint unit, which is measured in particular in accordance with a cross-sectional surface of a patient receiving area of the medical imaging apparatus. If the surgical head restraint unit protrudes beyond the area of occupation which is permissible for the surgical head restraint unit, upon insertion of the patient positioned on the transfer plate together with the surgical head restraint unit, this may result in unwanted collisions with in particular a housing of the medical imaging apparatus. The risk of injury to the patient herewith increases. In addition, the surgical head restraint unit must be repositioned in order to be able to record a medical imaging examination at all. This repositioning may result in unwanted delays, since a sterile cover of the surgical head restraint unit must firstly be dismantled for the repositioning.
The positioning of the surgical head restraint unit and/or of the head of the patient is implemented by a surgeon and/or clinical operating personnel, wherein this positioning is very complicated. In addition, this positioning takes place with the aid of a rough estimation of the permissible area of occupation and/or in accordance with empirical values of the surgeon and/or the operating personnel. This may however result in only a fraction of the permissible area of occupation being used for instance or collisions possibly resulting upon insertion into the medical imaging apparatus.